Shake and fine strain into a chilled coupe
Daiquiri
A precise rum sour: dry, bright, and ice cold.
Gentle muddle, build, churn, and top
Mojito
A refreshing highball built around gentle muddling, crushed ice, and lift.
Verified by CocktailSteps Editorial Team
- Time
- 6 minutes
- Level
- Intermediate
- Glass
- Highball
- Approx. ABV
- 14% · Medium
Measured for the room
Ingredients
2 ozWhite rumRecommended brandBACARDÍ Carta Blanca
0.75 ozFresh lime juiceRecommended brandSunkist Persian Lime
0.5 ozSimple syrupRecommended brandMonin Pure Cane Syrup
8 leavesMint leavesRecommended brandNorth Shore Living Mint
1.5 ozSoda waterRecommended brandFever-Tree Premium Club Soda
1 sprigMint sprigOptionalRecommended brandNorth Shore Living Mint
Amounts scale from the verified one-glass recipe. Technique and timing stay unchanged.
Choose your bottle
Bottle buying guide
Best fit is our default. Spend less with Smart buy, or choose Upgrade when you want more character.
White rum
Measured method
How to make Mojito
- 01
Wake the mint
8 mint leaves · ¾ oz lime · ½ oz syrup
Gently press 8 mint leaves with ¾ oz fresh lime juice and ½ oz simple syrup 4 times; do not shred the mint.
Wake the mint visual check - 02
Add the rum
2 oz white rum
Pour in 2 oz white rum, then fill the glass with crushed ice.
Add the rum visual check - 03
Lift and mix
Lift and stir · 10 sec
Churn from the bottom for 10 seconds, lifting the mint through the drink.
Lift and mix visual check - 04
Top with soda
1½ oz soda water
Slowly add 1½ oz soda water, then crown the glass with more crushed ice.
Top with soda visual check - 05
Add the mint crown
1 mint sprig
Clap 1 mint sprig once between your palms, then place it beside the straw.
Add the mint crown visual check
Key move
Bruise the mint; never grind it
Verified technique note
Why this build works
This build keeps the Mojito refreshing by balancing 2 ounces of white rum with ¾ ounce of lime, ½ ounce of syrup, and a measured 1½-ounce soda top. Four gentle presses release mint aroma without grinding the leaves into bitter fragments. Churning from the bottom distributes the denser lime and syrup through the rum and crushed ice before carbonation is added. Soda goes in last so the 10-second churn cannot flatten it, and the fresh mint crown puts the herb's aroma near the nose without adding shredded leaves to the drink.
Common failure points
- The drink tastes vegetal and contains dark mint fragments.
- Press the eight leaves gently four times instead of grinding them.
- The top is fizzy but the bottom is sharply sweet and sour.
- Churn the base from the bottom before adding the soda water.
Measure or substitute
Club soda can replace soda water at the same 1½-ounce measure; demerara syrup can replace simple syrup at ½ ounce, adding a deeper sugar note without changing the method.
Set the station
Tools
JiggerRecommended brandCocktail Kingdom Japanese Style Jigger
MuddlerRecommended brandCocktail Kingdom Bad Ass Muddler
Bar spoonRecommended brandCocktail Kingdom Teardrop Barspoon
Highball glassRecommended brandRIEDEL Drink Specific Highball
Know the pour
Medium
A long rum drink lengthened with soda and crushed ice.
Contains alcohol. Serve only to adults of legal drinking age and enjoy responsibly.
